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Kia preparing a range of sporting models

Kia is quietly readying a string of sportier models to pep up its humdrum image, CAR has learned. The burgeoning sports car plan is likely to sire everything from hot hatches to standalone sports cars. On our trip to Korea this week, sources at Kia HQ confirmed a range of performance models, designed to mix some excitement into a brand that now commands respect from mainstream buyers after its crawl upmarket to the volume market alongside Europe's mass-market brands.

Umea Institute of Design degree show 2009

Masters students from Sweden's Umea Institute of Design recently exhibited their final-year projects at the university's annual degree show. Featuring the work of both graduating diploma students and those completing the first year of their MA in Transportation Design, this year's exhibition brought together a diverse range of themes, ranging from futuristic interpretations of existing brand DNA to new concepts in car production, usage and forms. These are the highlights.

Nissan wins New York taxi bid

Nissan won the fight for an exclusive 10-year contract to design and supply the next generation of taxis for New York City, starting in 2013. "The new taxis will be custom-designed to meet the specific demands of carrying 600,000 passengers a day in New York City traffic," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday. "The vehicle meets the top priorities identified by the public in our online survey." Nissan was battling Ford Motor Co.